It's the halfway point on the road to recovery for an Albuquerque firefighter in the middle of the fight of his life.

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Vince Cordova's rare brain tumor made national headlines, and now the firefighters who stepped up to support him are being honored.

Action 7 News anchor Tanya Mendis said the faces of Cordova's fellow firefighters tell the story of camaraderie. And none is happier than the face of Cordova.

"I'm smiling all the time," he said.

But getting to that smile hasn't been easy. The Albuquerque firefighter was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor that could have taken his life. But ever since the diagnosis, everyone around him has shown their support.

Each one of Cordova's friends have lent a hand and given their time his recovery.

"When Vince needed time to recover, so he could continue to receive medical benefits and a paycheck, our firefighters really stepped up," said Fire Chief James Breen.

Some firefighters donated 100 hours each of their personal sick leave and vacation time. Altogether, more than a year and a-half of time was donated to help Cordova get on his feet without having to worry about how to pay his bills.

"There's volumes to tell in a story like this," said Mayor Richard Berry. "Tells a story about a great department that cares, not just for the city but for each other."

Each of the firefighters was awarded the mayor's hero coin. And Cordova said he know he wouldn't be where he is today without them.

"Knowing that I can fall back on my crew, and that I can go back and see them at any time, just makes me feel really good inside," he said. "Knowing that I've got the support and the brotherhood makes me feel like a brand new person."

Cordova had to relearn how to speak and swallow. He attends physical therapy and doctors’ appointments and still faces more surgeries.